ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
We are artists, DJs & dancers of the 80s & 90s, a time when we expressed our way of life by rocking the freshest street/sportswear, gear & kicks. It marked a coming of age and the boldness of this special era of art, music & movement. But with maturity comes change & our styles eventually evolve, leaving the beauty & sentiment of our former uniforms to remain.
NANAMAN (“again” in Tagalog) explores what authenticity can be by repurposing fashion of the past that was meaningful to us parents in our youth, & evolving that meaning for future generations. As children of immigrants, frugality was our normal as we wore our older cousins’ hand-me-downs & watched our Lolas (grandmothers) sew clothes for our family & community. This humble way of life taught us to make do with what we had, creating an individuality and uniqueness in our style & existence.
All of our pieces are reconstructed & independently customized, originating from vintage & second hand garments, recreated into fresh new pieces for your little ones. They are all unique in their blueprint & footprint, carrying a piece of history, allowing the story to be continued, passed down & retold...nanaman.
FROM OUR FOUNDER
As a little girl growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, CA, music & fashion became my passion. I tagged along with my brothers to the record store learning everything from heavy metal to funk breaks, & while at home, was attached to my Lola’s hip watching her sew clothes for her loved ones. This extreme influence of music & fashion led me to NYC to embark on a 15+ year career in the music industry, djing & running my own record label, then later returning to school to begin a new career in fashion production at a veteran brand in the Garment District.
As a former DJ & a fashion industry insider, I would spend hours digging in thrift stores, flea markets & yard sales for records & clothes. There was no better feeling than finding a rare disco 12” & a Christian Dior trench coat in a big, dirty blue bin...until the very moment I laid eyes on my daughter, NYLA.
Unfortunately, NYLA was never able to meet her Lolo (grandfather) as he passed in 2014. I kept one of his favorite t-shirts that he bought as a souvenir during one of his trips to Italy. I always wanted NYLA to have a piece of her Lolo to keep with her. So on an insomnia-filled night, I cut up his Italy t-shirt, sewed it back together, recreating it into a onesie, and alas, Nanaman was born!
My goal is to create “classic future classics” to be passed down from generations. In this process, we are rerouting old clothing from our earth’s landfills into the hands of families, minimizing waste, all while creating heirlooms & new traditions. Each one of our pieces is special & unique, 1 of 1, just as the owners who once rocked it & the new little ones who will wear these stories of past, present & future on their sleeves (literally). It’s one of a kind for your ONE OF A KID.
With love & gratitude,
Sheila M.